Short Bio
Yuan Chen is a California abstract artist born in Fuzhou, China. She earned a BA in the Practice of Art from UC Berkeley, and graduating from UC Davis with an MFA degree in 2017. Art is her perfect second language. It frees her from the limitations of verbal communication and allows her to speak the inner authenticity. Her abstract art is a conversation with herself, with the others, and with the natural world. It is a reflection of her struggle to reach inner peace.
Resume / CV
Education
2017 MFA in Studio Art, University of California, Davis
2015 BA University of California, Berkeley
Awards
2022 First place award at “Visible and Invisible” Marin Society of Artists Gallery. San Rafael, CA.
2020 First Place award at “Spark Art Show” Corte Madera, CA.
2019 First place award at “Winter Show” Marin Society of Artists Gallery.
2017 Fay Nelson Award, UC Davis, CA.
2016 Nominee for Dedalus MFA Fellowship, UC Davis, CA.
2015 Art Practice Departmental Citation, UC Berkeley
Art Practice Sculpture Award, UC Berkeley
2015 Honors in Art Practice, UC Berkeley
2014 Honors in Art Practice, UC Berkeley
2013 “Special Award” from O’Hanlon Center for the Art, CA.
2012 Honorable Mention Award from Fiat Lux Contest “On the Same Page” program, UC Berkeley, CA.
Public Art Project
2023 “Choose Kindness”, Cedars and San Anselmo Arts Commission, San Anselmo, CA.
2022 Bon Air Center mural project, Bon Air Shopping Center, Greenbrae, CA.
2021 Bon Air Center Fountain mural project, Bon Air Shopping Center, Greenbrae, CA.
2021 Canal mural project, 3301 Kerner Bl, San Rafael, CA.
2020 Utility box project, Sir Francis Drake Bl, San Anselmo, CA.
2019 Utility box project, Lincoln Ave-across from Sol Food, San Rafael, CA.
Group Exhibition
2023 “Beyond” Artworks downtown, San Rafael CA.
2023 “Adapting to Wildfire” Marin County Department of Cultural Services and Marin Cultural
Association at Civic Center Gallery, San Rafael CA
2023 “Small Wonders” Sausalito Center For The Arts, Sausalito, CA.
2022 “Art For Ukraine” Sausalito Center For The Arts, Sausalito, CA.
2022 Marin Open Studio, San Rafael, CA.
2022 “First Annual Art Exhibit” Archie Williams High School, San Anselmo, CA.
2021 “Harmony” Cedars gallery, San Anselmo, CA.
2020 “A Light in the Dark” Las Laguna Gallery, CA.
2020 “Cherish and Protect” Merritt College, Oakland, CA.
2020 “Spark Art Show” Corte Madera, CA.
2020 Madrigal Show for Marin Open Studio, Sausalito, CA.
2020 “A Moment In Time” Marin Society of Artists Gallery. San Rafael, CA.
2019 “Bridge to Abstraction” Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2019 “Alchemy” Arts Guild gallery, Sonoma, CA.
2019 “Hope and Urgency” Smoking Nun gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2019 “Harmony” Cedars gallery, San Anselmo, CA.
2019 Marin Open Studio. San Rafael, CA.
2018 “Memories” Marin Society of Artists Gallery, San Rafael, CA.
2018 “Who Am I?” O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Mill Valley, CA.
2018 “Generation” Worth Ryder Gallery, UC Berkeley, CA.
2017 “Common Area” Manetti Shrem Museum, Davis, CA.
2017 "Who is US?" Basement Gallery, Davis, CA.
2016 “Ruminant Ground” Beatnik Gallery, Sacramento, CA.
2015 “Mental Throes” Third Space Gallery, Davis, CA.
2015 “Struggle Bus” Berkeley Art Festival, Berkeley, CA.
2015 “Skinterior Just Beige” Headquarters Gallery, Berkeley, CA.
2015 “Prelude” 347 Gallery, Oakland, CA.
2015 “So-So” Fall 2015 Honor’s studio students exhibition Worth Ryder Gallery. UC Berkeley, CA.
2015 “Take it or Leave it” Worth Ryder Gallery. UC Berkeley, CA.
2014 “Post Glitter” Fall 2014 Honor’s studio students exhibition Worth Ryder Gallery. UC Berkeley, CA.
2014 “Para-Site: Critical Adaptions and Contingent Relations” Worth Ryder Gallery. UC Berkeley, CA.
2014 “Remedies” Worth Ryder Gallery. UC Berkeley, CA.
2013 “Emma’s Birds” Worth Ryder Gallery. UC Berkeley, CA.
2013 Marin Open Studio. Fairfax, CA.
2012 “Fiat Lux” Worth Ryder Gallery. UC Berkeley, CA.
2011 “Be Still, Listen” Two person Exhibition ElseWhere Gallery. Fairfax, CA.
2011 “Art of Giving” ElseWhere Gallery. Fairfax, CA.
2010 “Light&Color in Nature and Mind” Mill Valley City Hall. Mill Valley, CA.
